Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-07-07
BECKER Is FREE AGAIN.
One of the Cleverest ConterfeiterS on the
Continent Given His Liberty.

Nhc VI tne NleNeTtSb NonlerltltefS on the
Continent Given His Liberty.
New YorkyTimes
Charles Becker. one of the cleverest
forgers and conterfeiters in the world,
was released form the Kings county pen
itentiary this morning. He was sentenced
to six years and six months imprison-
nent there on Dec. IA, 1881, for his 1000
franc note forgery on the bank of France.
He is not yet 40 years of age, and he
looks rs stout, fresh and rosy as he did
before his long sojourn on Crow hill. He
is feet inches tall, has irou-gray hair,
hazel eyes, and a light complexion.
Becker's skill as a counterfeiter brought
him into close association with Charles O
Brocsway, Jr., E. Brockway, h. S. Bal
lard, Billy Ogle, Joseph Cook, Fred Eli
OFT, George VIII, 5, Albert Wilson, and
other notorious forgers. Whom he was
placed in Warden Green's care nearly six
years ago, he and his friends openly
boosted that he was entiely too valuable
a man to be allowed to spend six years
in enforced retirement, and that neither
the penitentiary nor any other prison in
the country was strong enough to hold
him. Before he was ysar in the prison
he planned a skillful scheme to escape
by having duplicate keys of his cell and
OF the doors OF the corridor in which he
was locked up, made. Warden Green dis
covered the plot a few days before 1t
was to be put into execution, and Becker
since then has been a very obedient pris-
oner. His attempt to esoepe reduced the
communication TO which he would other
wise been entitled by nearly year. He
has worked almost continuously in the
shoe shop, but the manner in which he
has made up Warden Green's annual sta
| tisticRl reports shows that his penman-
ship is still perfect, and that his fingers
have not lost that delcacy of touch
which made him famous among his coun-
| terfeiting associates.
Becker came with his parents TO this
country from Germany when he was a
lad and learned the engraver's trade.
His expertness attracted the attention of
! George Engler, George Wilkes, and other
celebrated forgers, and he soon became
their valuable ally. His connection with
the robbery OF the Third national bank
of Baltimore, in August, 1872, brought
him in to notoriety, and finding that the
detectives we're on his track, he fled to
| GuEOpt WIN JOG ElllCOlts anu uillcu WIN
| Joe Chapman, Ivan Siscovitch, and others
TO food Turkey with forged drafts. They
were all arrested and each was sentenced
to three years and six months imprison
ment in Smyrna. They were trans
terrod to more secure prison
| in Constantinople, from which
Becker, Ellicott, and Siscovitch made
their escape, leaving Joe Chapman
behind them. Becker and his two com
paniOns fed to London and lived for Il
while at Mrs. Chapman's house. One
morning Mrs. Chapman, who knew their
secrets, and who was supposed to be in
censld against them for leaving her hus-
band behind in Turkey, was found dead,
with all her jewelry missing. Siscovitoh,
who was suspected of numbering her, tied
to America. Becker and Ellicott soon
followed, arriving in New York in July,
| 1876. Becker, Joe Ellicott, and Clement
Herring were arrested in this city on
April 10, 1877, for the $4,000 forgery on
the Union Trust company, and Becker
saved himself by turning states
evidence. Becker was again arrested in
January, 1881, on suspicion of being en-
gagged with George Wilkes and others,
then under arrest in Italy in II gigantic
scheme to forge mercantile paper in
Europe The effort TO have Becker OK
tradited failed, and he was soon released.
Beckers next exploit was the forging
of the 1,000-frano note on the bank of
France. He and Nathan Marks, con
stable, who was soon released, we're ar
rested on Sept. IS, 1881, in pretty little
cottage in East New York, where Becker
he'd started a complete counterfeiting
establishment His work on the 1000
franc note was almost complete, and in
a few weeks very perfect counterfeit
Bank of France note would have been in
circulation. The president of the bank
of France came over to testify at the
trial, and he pronounced BeckeI's en-
craving even more perfect than the orig
inal singular incident in the case
is that the genuine ,000-franc note,
disappeared from the safe in the district
attorneys Office soon after the trial, and
il has never been discovered. Gen. Cat
lin was district attorney AZ the time, and
Becker threatens TO sue for the note
when he regains his liberty.
Becker married pretty East New
York girl soon after his return from
Europe, and he suspects that one of her
relatives informed on him and was well
paid BY the Bank of France. His wife
to whom he 10 much attached, visited
him regularly during his imprison-
ment.
Michael j. Kelly.
Michael I Kelly who has become thu